Future USS Coronado (LCS 4) on its way to commissioning

Posted On
Tuesday, 28 January 2014 11:06

a

Naval
Forces News - USA

Future
USS Coronado (LCS 4) on its way to commissioning

The
Navy's newest littoral combat ship, the future USS Coronado (LCS 4),
departed from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., Jan. 27, en route
to her commissioning site in Coronado, Calif. Coronado is the fourth
littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy, and the second LCS of the
aluminum, trimaran Independence variant. It is scheduled to be commissioned
April 5, and will be homeported in San Diego, Calif.

GULF
OF MEXICO (Aug. 23, 2013) The future USS Coronado (LCS 4) conducts at-sea
acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Acceptance trials are the last
significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy,
which is planned for later this fall. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Austal
USA/Released)

"It
is exciting to see Coronado, operated by her Navy crew, exiting the
new construction yard en route to her homeport," said Capt. Tom
Anderson, LCS Program Manager. "There is a great sense of pride
among the many who were involved in her construction in seeing her headed
to sea to do what she was built to do."

During her transit to the West Coast and prior to her commissioning,
Coronado will conduct hull, mechanical, and electrical system shakedown
events as well as navigation checks and combat systems test events.
Additionally, the crew will participate in training events to continue
honing their familiarity with the Independence variant.

Prior to sail away, the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV)
conducted acceptance trials aboard Coronado. INSURV found the ship's
performance to be "strong" following what was hailed as "the
most complete and rigorous trial on the Independence variant to date,"
and recommended the vessel be accepted.

LCS 4 incorporated a number of design changes based on lessons learned
from the first ship of class, USS Independence (LCS 2). These changes
are now part of the baseline design and are being incorporated in the
construction of follow-on ships of the Independence variant.

The littoral combat
ship class is designed to defeat threats in coastal waters where increasingly
capable submarines, mines, and swarming small craft operate. To deliver
capabilities against these threats, the Navy introduced LCS with innovative
concepts, such as modular mission packages, to quickly respond to an
evolving threat.

Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships is responsible for delivering
and sustaining the fleet's littoral mission capabilities. Consistent
delivery of high-quality warfighting assets, while balancing affordability
and capability, is key to supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy.